Canadian Outline

I’m sorry I don’t have a scanner, but my copy of Simplified (Candian Edition,1958 printing), page 63, shows this kind of outline in the context “…large supply of travelling bags ____ and other leather goods.”

I think it must be “wallets”, but where’s the “t”? Am I missing a principle?

(by routine-sibling for everyone)

 


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  1. The Simplified outline for wallet is "w o l e." "L e" is a brief form for "let." This is an example of the phonetic nature of Gregg Shorthand. For instance, the word "pilgrim" is written "p e l / g," treating -grim as the word ending "-gram." There are several words like this.

    —Andrew

  2. Watch out for the ending "ette", which indeed is written phonetically as "e-t" (and not as "e") in the words palette, roulette, and silhouette.

  3. I've never looked at another edition, in fact. But I imagine most of the difference is as you say—minor spelling and pronunciation here and there. All the institutions are Canadian; there's a list of brief forms for our provinces and capitals in the back of the book.

    It's funny, though; I'm normally able to distinguish the cultural/lingustic differences in a second (We're quite proud of that ability north of the 48th parallel). But the language in the text is so archane, (and a little contrived), that I often wonder whether it was *ever* natural. Here's one from yesterday:

    "Yes, your discouraging days of pulling up weeds is ended if you get in a supply of Smith's Mixture."

    By the end of the course, I should expect to have a firm grasp on 1950's colloquial business English, if nothing else.

    On a serious note, do any New World English speakers actually pronounce the "h" in front of "wh…" words such as "while", "whether", "white"?

  4. Canadian edition, hmm? Are there any actual systematic differences between the American and Canadian? Doesn't seem like it would…just spelling differences and pronounciation here and there. And why havn't I heard of an English Gregg? Seems like that'd be even more different and in need of their own edition. UT, ./[tyler]

  5. McGraw Hill published Canadian, British, and Australian editions of the shorthand books. They all have the same principles. The differences are in (1) the spelling of transcribed text (favour, organise, etc.), (2) the addition of specific geographical names (Nottingham, Canberra, New Brunswick, etc.), (3) miscellaneous special phrases (House of Lords, etc.), and (4) who wrote the shorthand (William C. Blackwell in the British Edition, Charles Rader and Jerome Edelman for the Australian Edition).

  6. I can't address "Smith's Mixture" . . . but I do
    pronounce "while", "whether" and "white" as though they were spelled hwile,
    hwether, and hwite.  It's normal pronunciation in mid-Missouri, and wile,
    wether, and wite would sound a little "off" to our ears.
     
    Alex

  7. Re:  I can't address "Smith's Mixture" . . . but I do pronounce "while", "whether" and "white" as though they were spelled hwile, hwether, and hwite.  It's normal pronunciation in mid-Missouri, and wile, wether, and wite would sound a little "off" to our ears.   Alex …………………………….. Interesting.  I am originally from northern Indiana and I pronounce whether and weather the same, that is "wether".  But that is probably a subcultural/family thing.  My wife, being from the same place adds the "h" in front of whether making it hwether as in your discussion.  However, I do pronounce "white" and "while" with the "h" in front.   Tom

  8. Our Philly accent is notorious for distinct pronunciation of common words like water and coffee (wautr and caufy) and the letter O (quite nasal). Yet when our theater company does our annual Broadway musical, our music director has told us repeatedly that every one , even if unconsciously, puts an h before w, because one cannot otherwise produce the w sound without it. In singing it is stressed (as is also the case in ventriloquism) for breathing purposes. Now when I am on stage it is one of the great moments in the American theater, but definitely not when singing. I sound like a civil defense signal! DOC

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